Filipinos highly optimistic on future, SWS poll shows

Filipinos are cheerful people in general, as shown here during one of the many winning Manny Pacquiao fights. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines—Filipinos’ outlook for the future remains “very high,” and the number of those who expect the economy to improve in the coming years has slightly increased, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in its latest survey.

According to the Fourth Quarter 2014 Social Weather Report, 41 percent of respondents expect their lives to improve this year, while 6 percent expect otherwise, yielding a “very high” plus 35 net optimism score (optimists minus pessimists).

The latest personal optimism net figure was five points up from the plus 30 net rating (39 percent optimistic, 9 percent pessimistic) in the previous quarter, which the SWS had also rated as “very high.” It was also the third time such a score—the highest so far—was posted during the Aquino administration.

The survey found that 31 percent of Filipinos expect the economy “will be better,” while 15 percent claimed “it will be worse,” for a “very high” net economic optimism of plus 16, five points up from “very high” net score of plus 11 (30 percent optimists, 19 percent pessimists) in the third quarter.

Economic optimism net scores during the Aquino administration ranged from plus 30 (November 2010) to plus 2 (June 2014). The record-high plus 39 was posted in June 2010 while the record-low minus 50 in May 2005, both periods under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The survey was conducted nationwide from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1 and the results were first published in BusinessWorld.

According to the survey, 29 percent said their quality of life in the past 12 months had improved, while 30 percent said it had worsened, for a “low” minus 1 net score.

The latest quality-of-life net figure, the highest so far registered in the Aquino administration, is seven points up from the “low” minus 8 (28 percent “gainers” against 34 percent “losers”) in the previous quarter. The record-low net score of “very low” minus 14 (22 percent gainers, 37 percent losers) was posted in June 2014.

By region, net personal optimism rose in Mindanao (plus 44 from plus 31), the Visayas (plus 27 from plus 17) and Metro Manila (plus 38 percent from plus 35 percent) but slightly down in the rest of Luzon (plus 33 from plus 34).

Net personal optimism by socioeconomic groups all increased among Classes ABC (plus 40 from plus 34), D (plus 35 from plus 31) and E (plus 31 from plus 28).

Net economic optimism across geographical areas also went up in Mindanao (plus 29 from plus 12), Metro Manila (plus 12 from plus 5) and the rest of Luzon (plus 13 from plus 11) but decreased in the Visayas (plus 9 from plus 13).

Meanwhile, improved net economic optimism was recorded among Classes ABC (plus 29 from plus 14), D (plus 13 from plus 9) and E (plus 21 from plus 14).

For net personal optimism, the SWS considers a rating of plus 30 and above as “very high”; plus 20 to plus 29 as “high”; plus 10 to plus 19 as “fair”; plus 1 to plus 9 as “mediocre”; zero to minus 9 as “low”; and minus 10 and below as “very low.”

For net economic optimism, a score of plus 10 and above is considered “very high”; plus 1 to plus 9 “high”; zero to minus 9 “fair”; minus 10 to minus 19 “mediocre”; minus 20 to minus 29 “low”; and minus 30 and below “very low.”

The survey, which used face-to-face interviews with 1,800 Filipinos, had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. Inquirer Research